The Nutrition Biochemistry Laboratory has been approved and established as a Recharge Facility that is administered through the UCSD School of Medicine as part of the Nutrition Shared Resource.

At the Biochemistry Laboratory, we have the capability of determining blood and peripheral tissue concentrations of micronutrients, dietary constituents, and relevant metabolites. We can also provide these quantitative analytic data for other materials, such as tissue culture medium.  In addition to biochemical measures conducted using enzymatic or other standardized methodologies, the laboratory personnel have particular expertise in biochemical analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods.  A specialty of this service is the development of new methods for the quantitative analysis of biomarkers, phytochemicals, and related metabolites.

The laboratory is fully equipped with the following:

• A computer-integrated Shimadzu Mulitspec-1501 Diode Array Spectrophotometer
• HPLC automated equipment from Varian Analytical Systems
  • capable of handling large-volume analytic services, including a Prostar 230 pump and Varian Dynamax refrigerated autosampler unit
• Varian Star 9010 solvent delivery system
• Varian 9050 UV/visible variable wavelength detector
• Varian 9070 fluorescent detector
• Two fully automated, metal-free refrigerated autosamplers
• Kodak Ektachem Analyzer system (Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics)

Laboratory equipment also includes analytic scales, pH meters, ultralow freezer units for biological sample storage, and several desktop and floor model centrifuges.